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2009 Bush Excellence Award Winners

Announced: March 6, 2009

The Bush Excellence Awards for Faculty were presented by Dr. Karan Watson, vice provost of strategic initiative and interim vice president and associate provost for diversity on Thursday, March 5, 2009 during the Consuls General luncheon in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University. 

            Three awards were presented, one each for outstanding work in international teaching, international research, and for public service. The Texas A&M University Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Teaching went to Dr. Kirk Winemiller, regents professor and Agrilife Faculty Fellow in Wildlife and Fisheries Science.  The award for in International Research was awarded to Dr. Renyi Zhang, professor of Atmospheric Sciences and the award in Public Service went to, Dr. Larry Johnson, professsor in Veterinary Integrative Biosciences.

The Bush Excellence Awards were established through the vision and support of President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush with financial assistance from the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation.

“Establishing the Bush Excellence Awards for Faculty is one of the many wonderful things President and Mrs. Bush have done for Texas A&M University,” said Texas A&M University Vice President for Global Initiatives Ambassador Eric M. Bost (ret.). “Through their generosity, as well as that of the Bush Foundation, Texas A&M is able to recognize outstanding faculty members for their achievements in international research and teaching as well as for faculty in public service. We appreciate the work and dedication of Drs. Winemiller, Zhang and Johnson, and congratulate them on this prestigious honor.”

Three anonymous committees, composed of faculty members, reviewed the nominations and selected the awardees.  In her presentation, Dr. Watson read a brief citation applauding the accomplishments of the three 2009 recipients.

The teaching award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to the international education of Texas A&M students. According to his nominators, Dr. Winemiller is a leader in international undergraduate research for Texas A&M.  He is internationally recognized for his research and brings that experience into the classroom on a daily basis. The mix of U.S. and international students in his lab creates a cross-cultural environment that is very enriching for all his students enabling them to learn and thrive in international settings. Through grants and the development of collaborations worldwide his undergraduate and graduate students have had the opportunity to conduct research at home and abroad with international scientists.

The research award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to and obtained international preeminence through international research. Dr. Zhang’s research covers a wide variety of areas in Atmospheric Chemistry and in particular the impacts of global air pollution on human health, ecosystems and climate. One area of focus is the tremendous emissions from the rapidly growing economies of Asia and particularly in China. At the recent 2008 Beijing Olympics, Dr. Zhang and his Chinese collaborators were actively involved in making air quality measurements in the area in and around Beijing and Guangzhou.

The public service award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions in public service by demonstrating a sustained, long-term application of disciplinary expertise to the public or non-profit sector in local, statewide, national, or international arenas.  Dr. Johnson is said to be legendary in the state of Texas for his success in strengthening science education in rural school in Texas.  Over the past ten years he has managed grants totaling nearly $7 million to develop programs that help make science accessible and exciting for youngsters particularly in rural Texas schools with substantial minority-student populations.

Dr. Jeffrey S. Vitter, provost and executive vice president for academics and Dr. Roman Popadiuk, executive director of the Bush Foundation presented each recipient with a plaque and a check for $2,500 during the luncheon presentation.

 

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